Bosch paves way for 3D displays in vehicles

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Digital displays are becoming a key feature of vehicle cockpits will play a key role in the interaction between drivers and their vehicles. With its new 3D display products, Bosch is responding to this trend.

The products use passive 3D technology to generate a realistic three-dimensional effect that allows visual information to be grasped faster than when displayed on conventional screens.

Dr. Steffen Berns, president of Bosch Car Multimedia, says, “Displays are increasingly becoming interactive systems that can better anticipate drivers’ individual needs. There is huge business potential for Bosch here.”

Forecasts suggest that the global vehicle display market will double from $ 15 billion dollars to $ 30 billion dollars by 2025 (source: Global Market Insights). Whether curved, equipped with organic LEDS (OLEDs), or freely configurable – Bosch regularly sets the benchmark for vehicle displays.

3D effect

A 3D effect serves primarily to enhance a film’s entertainment value on the movie screen,. But it’s a different case in a vehicle. “The display’s depth of field means drivers can grasp important visual information faster, whether from an assistance system or a traffic-jam alert,” Berns said.

“Alerts that seem to jump out of the display are much more obvious and urgent.” When parking, moreover, the rear-view camera image is more realistic, allowing obstacles to be detected earlier. And drivers can get an even better idea of how much space they have left between the rear fender and, say, a parking garage wall. When navigating street canyons, this 3D effect also plays a decisive role, as the spatial depth of the map display makes it immediately clear which building marks the next turn. For its new display, Bosch makes use of a passive 3D technology, which works completely without additional features such as eye tracking or 3D glasses.

Innovative 

The future is all about interaction between users and displays and the technology major Bosch is ready for this. The company’s portfolio includes applications of all kinds – from small and flat to large and curved, and sometimes in unusual shapes such as round or with trimmed corners. In addition to this, interaction can take the form of voice or touch control – the latter also with haptic feedback. “Bosch is developing infotainment to suit any customer,” Berns addeds

And especially when the drivers of the future let their autopilot do the driving, the human-machine interface (HMI) will be crucially significant for the interaction between the car and its driver.

One cockpit computer

As displays grow in size, become more multi-purpose and intelligent, and feature voice and touch control, more and more computing power is needed. This could mean many more control units. Even now, as many as 15 back-end processing units control the display and operating systems. Bosch uses just one cockpit computer to coordinate the entire HMI, and delegates all control functions to one central control unit. “We are putting intelligence into the cockpit,” Berns said.

Fewer control units will result in less weight and vehicle development time are also reduced. Importantly, the infotainment system can be kept up to date just as simply as a smartphone, thanks to over-the-air updates,

Vehicle displays are subject to rigorous safety standards. Especially when it comes to temperature fluctuations and vibrations, these standards are far higher than for consumer electronics.

Also Read : Bosch, Daimler approved for driverless parking